Detroit Rising: Lessons in collaboration and renewal for UK cities

This time last year, I had the opportunity to visit Detroit for the Urban Transformation Summit. Whilst there, I saw how that city is being transformed through the faithful, fearless and creative leadership of local people working together.

From the award-winning riverside park to the smalls acts of tactical urbanism like street art, pedestrianised streets and public spaces, support for small businesses to ambitious investments in spaces for innovation, Detroit's local government, private sector and communities are building a new shared narrative which gathers the best bits of the past and tells a hopeful, inclusive story about the city's future.

Twelve months on, I thought I would revisit my notes and draft some reflections on the trip and the lessons for place leaders in the UK currently working on Growth Plans with ambitions to deliver inclusive, innovation-led local growth.

Key takeaways for UK place leaders

• Community-Led Regeneration: I was inspired meeting Mark Wallace , the (now former) president and CEO of the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy , a non-profit organisation, which spearheaded the regeneration of industrial land along the city's waterfront to create a vibrant, 5.5-mile River Walk. This award-winning linear park, funded in part by crowdfunding and philanthropic donations, reconnected the community with the water and demonstrates the power of community-led initiatives. (In writing this reflection on my visit I note with sadness that significant fraud by the Riverfront Conservancy's CFO has been uncovered and Mark has moved on, though his legacy remains in the wonderful space he has created for the city.)

• Strategic Partnerships: As part of the trip, I visited the newly opened Detroit Labs , an innovation space backed by the city and a range of industrial partners. Detroit Labs is hosted by Bedrock , a mission-driven real estate firm who have acquired a large portfolio of property in the downtown area. Bedrock's intentional approach (they only operate in Detroit and Cleveland with a focus on attracting businesses, creating lively public spaces, and providing affordable housing) has been instrumental in revitalising downtown Detroit and demonstrates the positive potential of public-private partnerships when grounded in a shared mission.
• Tactical Urbanism: Downtown Detroit felt pretty quiet during the days I was there, but in the space between the buildings, active use is being made of tactical urbanism to transform how the city is experienced by residents and visitors alike. During my wandering about I saw great examples of street spaces which had been reallocated for segregated walking and cycling with planting, lighting and playful seating, as well as lots of vibrant street art. Lots of places embraced this kind of approach during the pandemic and it is clearly making a lasting difference in Detroit. These kind of initiatives can quickly and affordably improve the urban environment, fostering a sense of community ownership and experimentation.
• Building on a Legacy of Innovation: From textiles to transport, Detroit has a great history of industrial innovation. During my visit, we heard about a range of investments and initiatives to support start-ups and scale-ups in the city's heritage sectors to develop and test new propositions in partnership with the city and it's anchor industries - including the Transport Innovation Zone and the Industrial Sewing and Innovation Center . These initiatives were attracting new investment and talent but also providing targeted support to existing businesses and workers to ensure established communities were front and centre in the economic transformation.

The central role of collaborative leadership

Detroit's revival has been possible because of people who care about the city working together across organisational boundaries, finding common interests across differing motivations and competing incentives. From the visionary community leaders who kickstarted and drove through the waterfront regeneration over many years, to the mission-led investors at Bedrock, and the advocacy of the Mayor, Detroit's success stems from a collaborative approach, uniting community groups, businesses, and the public sector. This has no doubt not always been a smooth process, but it is bearing fruit.

Through my work with UK leaders across the public, private and community sectors I have seen plenty of similar examples of generous collaboration, where institutions who have traditionally held power make space for others who are better placed to lead specific elements of the transformation journey. As one local authority reportedly told its place partners: 'We have no money and no spare capacity - how can we help?' This kind of humility, when combined with the energy of the private sector, and the deep lived experience of communities, is key to delivering inclusive local growth and lasting regional renewal.